Nigeria’s B team Super Eagles Friday beat a stubborn Benin Republic side 1-0 to reach the final of the West Africa Football Union Cup of Nations on-going in Cape Coast, Ghana.

WAFU 2017 Eagles

Midfielder, Rabiu Ali scored the only goal of the match in the 10th minute after he latched on to a pass by Anthony Okpotu. He squeezed the ball underneath on-rushing Steve Glodjinon in goal for the Benin Squirrels.

Stung by the goal Benin fought back, but a resolute defending by the Eagles kept them at bay. In the 35th minute Koukpo Marcellin got the marching orders after picking up a second yellow card. Emmanuel Ariachukwu and Peter Moses were also shown yellow cards.

At the break the Eagles failed to take advantage of the extra man, but rather it was the Squirrels who pushed for the equaliser. This is just as the Eagles missed some scoring opportunities. Gabriel Okechukwu who replaced Ali in the 85th minute almost doubled the Eagles lead, but his shot was cleared off the line by Salomon Junior.

Coach Salisu Yusuf rated his defenders high.

“Besides from our goal scoring problems, defensively we are perfect. In all our games we have not conceded a single goal.

“We are not scoring but we are not conceding.”

The Super Eagles will meet Ghana in the final billed for Sunday, after the Black Stars beat Niger Republic 2-0 in the second semi-final on Thursday night. Kwame Kizito scored for Ghana in the 31st minute, while Kwadwo Stephen Sarfo added the second in the 79th minute.The Super Eagles beat the Ghanaians 2-0 in a previous group A game.